Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/addresspersonalrOOsmit 


ADDRESS 


f 


PERSONAL  RECOLLECTIONS 


OF 

GENERAL  ULYSSES  S.  GRANT 


BEFORE 


U.  8.  GRANT  POST,  No.  28,  G.  A.  R. 

DEPARTMENT  OF  ILLINOIS, 

GRAND  ARMY  OF  THE  REPUBLIC,  U.  S.  A. 


FEBRUARY  26,  1903 


BY 


COMRADE  GENERAL  JOHN  C.  SMITH, 


EX-LIEUT.  GOVERNOR. 


COMMANDER  AND  COMRADES  OF  U.  S.  GRANT 
POST,  No.  28,  GRAND  ARMY  OF  THE 
REPUBLIC,  CHICAGO,  ILL. 


On  my  appointment  by  Commander  Henry  McCall 
as  Historian  of  this  Post,  an.  appointment  I innocently 
understood  to  be  that  of  Orator,  I had  intended  giving 
you  a brief  address  on  my  personal  knowledge  of  the 
great  soldier  whose  honored  name  this  Post  bears. 

Ill  health  prevented  my  doing  so  at  our  Annual 
Meeting  in  December  last,  and  I now  embrace  the  first 
opportunity  of  my  convalescence,  to  talk  to  you  of  one 
whose  memory  we  all  cherish ; one  whom  the  verdict  of 
history  places  so  high  on  the  roll  of  military  chieftains 
and  who,  in  my  judgment,  was  the  greatest  soldier  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  has  ever  produced. 

In  our  estimate  of  military  commanders  it  is  essen- 
tial that  we  take  into  consideration  the  intelligence  of 
the  soldier,  the  number  of  men  commanded,  weapons 
used,  area  of  field  of  operation  and  above  all  the  skill, 
strategy,  endurance  and  bravery  of  the  opposing  forces. 

Two  million  or  more  men  were  enlisted  for  the 
war  of  1861-65,  and  the  rank  and  file  of  no.  army 
in  the  history  of  the  world  was  ever  composed  of 
men  of  the  high  intelligence  which  characterized  those 
composing  the  armies  of  the  Union,  or,  were  ever  so 
well  armed. 


4 


Measured  by  the  intellect  of  the  men  and  the  arms 
they  bore,  the  soldiers  of  the  federal  armies  were  the 
equal  of  any  ten  million  that  could  have  been  mus- 
tered one  century  ago,  while  for  bravery  and  endur- 
ance the  confederate  or  opposing  forces  had  never  been 
surpassed. 

The  Union  troops  were  organized  into  twenty-five 
infantry  corps  to  which  were  attached  the  artillery  and 
cavalry  commands,  and  they  into  three  principal  and 
six  lesser  armies. 

Our  great  Captain,  while  operating  in  person  with 
the  greater  of  these  armies  known  as  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  directed  the  movements  of  all  the  armies, 
covering  in  their  operation  an  empire  in  area  of  more 
than  two  thousand  miles  from  East  to  West  and  one 
thousand  from  North  to  South. 

To  such  a command  came  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  than 
whom  no  commander  ever  moved  with  more  celerity, 
captured  more  prisoners  or  destroyed  more  armies  in 
the  two  years  from.  Vicksburg  to  Appomattox,  the 
crowning  victory  of  his  splendid  career. 

On  becoming  a resident  of  Galena  in  1854  my  busi- 
ness and  social  relations  soon  made  me  acquainted 
with  Jesse  K.  Grant  and  Simpson  S.  Grant,  the  father 
and  brother  of  Captain  Ulysses  S.  Grant,  then  in  the 
old  army.  A younger  brother,  Orville  L.,  came  to 
Galena  a few  years  later  and  I soon  became  intimate 
with  him. 

From  the  father,  whom  we  affectionately  called 
“Uncle  Jesse,”  and  the  two  brothers,  I came  to  know 
Captain  Grant  before  he  removed  to  Galena,  which 
was  in  the  early  spring  of  1860. 


» 


5 

At  that  time  “Uncle  Jesse”  and  his  two  sons  were 
'engaged  in  the  harness  and  leather  furnishing  business 
under  the  firm  name  of  “ J esse  If.  Grant  & Sons.” 

The  Captain,  who  had  been  living  in  and  near  St. 
Louis  since  his  resignation  from  the  army,  in  1854, 
was  asked  by  his  father  to  come' to  Galena  and  take  an 
interest  in,  the  store.  The  father  intending  to  retire 
and  give  place  to  his  son,  but  the  political  excitement 
of  the  time’,  the  unsettled  condition  of  business  and  the 
ill  health  of  Simpson  delayed  the  transfer  and  the  Cap- 
tain entered  upon  duty  as  a clerk  in  their  well  known 
store.  During  the  summer  and  fall  Captain  Grant 
was  employed  in  the  sale  of  goods  and  buying  of  hides 
which  were  shipped  to  Covington,  Kentucky,  where 
the  father  resided  and  thence  to  the  tanneries,  and 
when  tanned,  returned  to  Galena.  During  the  winter 
of  1860-1  the  purchase  and  shipment  of  cattle  and 
hogs  were  added  to  the  business  of  the  house,  in  all  of 
which  the  Captain  took  an  active  part. 

From  the  time  Captain  Grant  came  to  live  in  Galena 
until  the  firing  of  the  first  gun  of  the  rebellion,  he 
was  known  to  but  few,  and  they  very  largely  the  men 
who  did  business  with,  the  house  of  Jesse  K.  Grant 
& Sons  or  were  on  terms  of  friendship  with  tlie  mem- 
bers of  the  firm. 

Ko  one  in  that  city  bore  a better  character  for  up- 
rightness and  fair  dealing  in  trade  than  Captain  Grant, 
and  no  man  was  better  known  for  sobriety,  industry 
and  general  intelligence  than  he  of  whom  I now  speak. 

All  the  stories  attributing  idleness,  shiftlessness  or 
use  of  intoxicants  to  Captain  Grant  while  a resident 
of  Galenia  are  false  and  would  not  be  referred  to  here 


6 


but  for  the  recent  article  in  a city  newspaper  retailing; 
those  old  and  baseless  slanders. 

Educated  at  West  Point  and  with  an  observing  mind 
broadened  by  experience  in  the  Mexican  War  in  which 
no  one  of  equal  rank  won  more  honor,  Captain  Grant 
came  to-  Galena,.  Such  was  the  Captain's  reputation 
that  in  the  debates  of  a local  club  and  the  political 
discussions  of  18 GO,  vexed  questions  were  referred  to- 
him  and  his  opinion  or  decision  was  accepted. 

In  this  way  our  future  General  became  acquainted 
with  Jonn  A.  Rawlins,  a young  and  rising  lawyer, 
who  was  the  Douglas  Elector  for  that  district,  and  who 
afterwards  became  his  chief  of  staff,  a major-general 
and  Secretary  of  War  of  the  United  States. 

With  Ely  S.  Parker,  Superintendent  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  Galena  Post  Office  and  Marine  Hos- 
pital buildings  and  the  Post  Office  and  Custom  House 
building  at  Dubuque,  Iowa,  a full  blood  Indian  of  the 
Seneca  tribe,  and  chief  of  the  Six  Xations  of  Xorthern 
Hew  York,  afterwards  a Brigadier  General  and  Mili- 
tary Secretary  of  the  Old  Commander,  and  the  Com- 
missioner of  Indian  Affairs.  General  Parker’s  Indian 
name  was  Do-ne-ho^ga-wa,,  which  signifies  “The  Keep- 
er of  the  West  Gate.”  He  was  the  grand  nephew  .of 
Red  J acket,  the  famous  Indian  Chief  and.  Orator  of 
the  Six  Xations  of  Xorthern  Xew  York,  and  the 
friend  of  General  Washington. 

William  R.  Rowley,  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court  of 
Jo  Daviess  County,  later  a Brigadier  General  and 
Provost  Marshal  on  Grant’s  staff. 

John  E.  Smith,  then  Treasurer  of  Jo  Daviess 
County,  who  later  became  a,  Major  General  and  one  of 


7 


the  bravest  Division  Commanders  of  that  Grand  Old 
Army  of  the  Tennessee,  to  which  the  rebel  stronghold, 
Vicksburg,  finally  surrendered. 

Jasper  A.  Maltby,  a gunsmith,  who  had  seen  ser- 
vice in  Mexico,  and  who  became  a brigadier  in  the 
war  so'  soon  to  follow. 

All  of  these  have  answered  the  long  roll,  and  are 
now  bivouacked  on  the  other  shore.  There  remains 
one  other  to  name  who'  also,  from  a private  citizen, 
arose  to  the  rank  of  Major  General  in  that  same  army 
and  who  is  still  spared  to  us  and  whom  so  many  of 
you  know.  I refer  to  General  Augustus  L.  Chetlain, 
now  of  this  city. 

Men  of  such  probity,  official  and  social  standing  in 
private  life  and  who  rose  to  such  high  military  rank 
ini  that  great  war  of  the  rebellion,  were  the  associates 
of  Captain  Grant  in  Galena  in  1860-1. 

Asked  to  accept  the  position  of  Orderly  Sergeant  of 
a company  of  Wide  Awakes  by  a committee  of  the 
most  influential  citizens  of  Galena,  the  Captain  quietly 
declined,  saying: 

“Gentlemen,  I thank  you  for  your  kind  offer,  and 
while  I favor  such  organizations,  believing  them  to  be 
of  benefit  to  the  young  men,  I cannot  accept  the  posi- 
tion. My  reason  for  declining  is  that,  having  held 
a commission  as  Captain  in  the  army  of  the  United 
States,  I do  not  think  it  becoming  in  me  now  to  serve 
a citizen  body,  though  semi-military,  as  its  orderly 
serge  ant.” 

This  decision,  however,  did  not  deter  the  Captain 
from  occasionally  meeting  with  the  boys  and  drilling 
the  company  in  its  facings  and  marchings,  as  his  sym- 


8 


pathies  were  with  the  Republicans  and  he  desired  the 
election  of  Mr.  Lincoln. 

You  all  remember  how  your  blood  boiled  as  the  elec- 
tric wires  flashed  the  news  of  the  bombardment  of 
Fort  Sumter  on  that  12tli  day  of  April,  1861,  when 
was  fired  that  shot  which  “was  heard  around  the 
world/’  followed  on  the  15th  by  the  proclamation  of  the 
immortal  Lincoln  calling  for  75,000  men  to  save  this 
Union,  and  how  you  sprang  to  arms.  A meeting  was 
called  in  Galena,  as  meetings  were  called  throughout 
the  loyal  states,  to  sustain  the  President  and  enlist 
troops.  Captain  Grant  presided  at  that  meeting  and 
the  principal  speakers  were  Hon.  E.  B.  Washburne, 
Republican  member  of  Congress,  John  A.  Rawlins, 
Douglas  Elector,  and  Bushrod  B.  Howard,  Brecken- 
ridge  postmaster,  afterwards  a Captain  in  the  19th  Illi- 
nois, who  was  killed  in  the  service  of  his  country. 

I well  remember  going  to  that  meeting  with  John 
A.  Rawlins,  William  R.  Rowley,  John  C.  Spare  and 
Jasper  A.  Maltby,  and  I never  shall  forget  the  answer 
John  A.  Rawlins  made  to  some  political  associate  as 
we  entered  the  court  house.  This  man  had  urged  him 
not  to  go1  upstairs  to  the  court-room,  saying:  “John, 
you  don’t  wTant  to  go  up  there  and  talk  to  that  crowd ; 

it  is  a — black  Republican  meeting.”  Turning 

to  the  speaker,  his  face  aglow  with  the  intense  fire  of 
patriotism,  Rawlins  replied:  “I  am  going  up  to  the 
court-room  and  I intend  to  make  a speech.  We  are 
going  to  have  a great  war,  and  in  time  of  war  there 
are  no  Democrats  or  Republicans,  there  can  be  but  two 
parties  now,  one  of  patriots  and' the  other  of  traitors.” 


9 


He  did  go  into  that  meeting  and  his  soul-stirring' 
speech  did  more  than  that  of  any  other  man  toward  fill- 
ing the  first  company  of  volunteers  which  Galena  sent 
to  the  war,  and  of  which  General  Chetlain  was  the  first 
Captain. 

Of  Captain  Grant’s  efforts  to  get  into  the  service*  of . 
his  country,  the  tender  of  the  same  by  letter  to  Col.  L. 
Thomas,  then  Adjutant  General,  U.  S.  A.,  which  was 
never  answered;  his  visit  to  Cincinnati  to  see  General 
McClellan,  who  gave  him  no  audience,  and  his  return 
discouraged  to  Galena,  I lieed  not  now  speak,  hut  of 
his  going  to  Springfield  and  appointment  by  Governor 
Yates,  our  great  war  Governor,  to  the  Colonelcy  of 
the  21st  Regiment,  Illinois  Infantry  Volunteers.  I 
will  give  you  the  facts  as  I personally  know  them. 
To  our  late  Comrade  General  John  E.  Smith,  General 
Grant  was  indebted  for  the  presentation  of  his  name 
to  Gov.  Yates  and  his  subsequent  assignment  to  duty 
in  the  office  of  Adjutant  General  Thomas  Mather  at 
Springfield,  Illinois. 

John  E.  Smith,  then  County  Treasurer  of  Jo 
Daviess  County,  afterwards  Colonel  of  the  Forty- 
fifth  Regiment,  Illinois  Infantry  Volunteers,  and 
Major  General,  U.  S.  A.,  being  then  on  the  staff  of 
Governor  Richard  Yates.  He  was  called  to  Spring- 
field  to  assist  in  the  organization  of  the  ninety-day 
troops,  called  for  in  the  President’s  proclamation.  And 
to  him  alone  is  due  the  honor  of  having  called  the 
Governor’s  attention  to  Captain  Grant,  and  it  was 
brought  about  in  this  way: 

As  Colonel  Smith  was  leaving  Galena  he  met  Cap- 
tain Grant,  who  repeated  to  him  what  he  had  so  often 


10 


said  before : “I  would  like  to  secure  a position  in  the 
service.  The  government  educated  me,  and  in  the 
event  of  a war  I want  to  re-enter  the  army  and  serve 
my  country.  I would  be  pleased,  if  the  opportunity 
presents  itself,  that  you  would  say  this  to  Governor 
Yates.”  Colonel  Smith  assured  the  Captain  he  would, 
and  they  parted. 

Reaching  Springfield,  the  Colonel  was  soon  at  work 
in  the  Adjutant  General’s  office,  assisting  in  the  enroll- 
ment of  troops  then  gathering  at  “Camp  Dick  Yates.” 
A few  days  later  Governor  Yates  came  into  the  office 
from  the  camp  and  in  a bad  humor.  Everything  in 
camp  Avas  in  confusion,  the  men  lawless  and  insub- 
ordinate, and  upon  the  Governor  being  asked  the 
cause  of  the  trouble,  he  replied : 

“This  trouble  grows  out  of  the  effort  to  assign  the 
companies  daily  reporting  for  organization  into  what 
they  call  regiments,  and  there  is  no  one  in  camp  or 
anywhere  else  that  I know  Avho  has  any  idea,  as  to 
what  a regiment  is  or  how  organized.”  Addressing 
Colonel  Smith,  Governor  Yates  asked:  “Do  you  know 
anything  about  organizing  a regiment  ?”  The  Colonel 
promptly  answered:  “Yo,  Governor,  I never  saw  a full 
regiment  in  my  life.” 

This  Avas  true  of  almost  every  man  in  civil  life  in 
1861,  and  also  true  of  many  of  the  officers  of  the  old 
army  at  that  time.  Our  military  establishment  had 
been  so  small  for  forty  or  more  years,  that  with  the 
exception  of  the  Mexican  Avar,  no  regiment  had  been 
together  at  any  post  in  our  country. 

Again  addressing  the  Colonel,  Governor  Yates 
asked : “Do  you  knoAv  of  any  one  AAdio  does  ?”  to 


11 


which  the  Colonel  promptly  answered:  “Yes,  Governor, 
I do ; Captain  Grant,  who  lives  in  Galena,  is  a grad- 
uate of  West  Point,  was  a Captain  in  the  regular  army, 
and  saw  service  in  Mexico.  He  knows  the  organiza- 
tion of  a regiment,  and  he  has  frequently  told  me  that 
in  the  event  of  a war  he  would  like  to  re-enter  the 
service,  as  it  was  his  duty  to  serve  the  government 
which  had  educated  him.  He  also  requested  me,  as 
1 was  leaving  home,  to  say  so  to  you,  if  the  oppor- 
tunity presented  itself,  and  I am  glad  you  mentioned 
the  subject” 

This  conversation  resulted  in  Governor  Yates  di- 
recting Colonel  Smith  to  write  to  Captain  Grant  and 
request  that  he  come  immediately  to  Springfield.  Grant 
did  so,  going  there  with  Captain  Chetlain’s  company 
from  Galena.  It  was  during  the  time  that  Captain 
Grant  was  assisting  Adjutant  General  Mather  that 
Governor  Yates  received  urgent  requests  for  troops  to 
he  sent  to  Missouri,  which,  for  lack  of  transportation, 
he  was  unable  to  do.  One  day,  in  consultation  with 
Jesse  K.  Dubois,  a man  of  sterling  worth  and  the  Aud- 
itor of  Public  Accounts,  the  Governor  spoke  of  the 
urgent  need  of  troops  in  Missouri  and  the  difficulty  in 
obtaining  transportation,  concluding  by  asking  the  ad- 
vice of  “Uncle  Jesse.” 

The  Auditor  made  several  suggestions,  excellent,  but 
of  no  avail,  when  he  finally  said : “There  is  a Captain 
Grant  in  General  Mather’s  office  who  has  been  a soldier 
and  I like  his  style.  I would  suggest  that  you  send 
for  him  and  ask  his  advice.” 

To  this  the  Governor  agreed.  Captain  Grant  was 
sent  for,  the  situation  explained  to  him,  and  he 


12 


was  asked  what  was  best  to  be  done.  The  Captain  re- 
flected a moment  and  then  quietly  said  to  the  Gov- 
ernor : 

“The  situation  is  perplexing,  Governor,  but  if  I was 
commanding  one  of  those  regiments  I would  take  it 
to  Missouri.”  “How?”  asked  the  Governor,  laying 
before  the  Captain  the  telegraphic  answers  of  the  Illi- 
nois Central  and  Chicago  & Alton  railroad  companies,, 
in  which  they  assured  the  Governor  of  their  inability 
to  furnish  any  more  trains  for  want  of  cars  or  engines. 
“How,  in  the  face  of  those  dispatches,  could  you  take' 
a regiment  to  Missouri  ?”  Captain  Grant  was  again 
asked. 

“I  would  march  it  there,”  replied  that  quiet,  unas- 
suming man. 

Such  an  idea  as  soldiers  marching  through  the  State 
of  Illinois  to  Missouri,  or  to  any  other  state,  had 
never  been  thought  of  by  Governor  Yates  or  any  one 
else  at  that  time,  as  all  troops  had  been  moved  by  rail 
into  the  border  states,  but  it  caused  the  Governor  to 
reflect. 

Captain  Grant  and  Colonel  Smith  returned  home 
for  a brief  time,  the  one  soon  to  be  summoned  to  ac- 
cept the  Colonelcy  of  the  Twenty -first  Regiment,  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  and  the  other  to  follow  with 
the  Forty-fifth,  known  as  the  “Washburne  Lead  Mine” 
regiment. 

Colonel  Grant  did  march  his  regiment  to  the  Illinois 
River,  where  lie  was  halted  to  meet  a steamer,  but  the 
steamer  failing  to  arrive,  the  regiment  was  then  taken 
across  the  state  by  rail,  to  Missouri,  where  it  did  duty 
for  a brief  time  on  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joe  railroad. 


To  you,  my  old  comrades,  who  followed  the  great 
Commander  from  his  first  battle  at  Belmont,  Missouri, 
November  7,  1861,  to  Fort  Donelson,  Shiloh,  Vicks- 
burg, Chattanooga  and  through  the  wilderness,  to  his 
crowning  victory  at  Appomattox,  Court  House,  Vir- 
ginia, April  9,  IS 65,  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  re- 
hearse his  battles  for  you  were  a part  of  the  same, 
and  you  know,  that  no  commander  ever  more  readily 
assumed  to  himself  the  blame  for  failure  or  more 
cheerfully  accorded  to  his  soldiers  all  the  honor  for 
his  success  than  did  General  Ulysses  S.  Grant. 

Devoted  to  liis  army,  with  the  most  implicit  confi- 
dence in  the  rank  and  file,  that  silent  man  kept  his- 
own  counsel,  steadily  pursued  the  enemy  until  victory 
crowned  his  efforts  when  by  the  superior  intelligence 
of  you  men,  your  bravery  and  skill  in  arms,  the  enemy 
was  defeated  and  our  Union  preserved. 

You  all  remember  how,  after  Grant’s  glorious  victory 
at  Donelson,  the  General  was  relieved  from  duty,  but 
you  may  not  know  the  reason.  Grant  was  command- 
ing an  army  operating  west  of  the  Cumberland  Kiver 
and  Buell  one  on  the  east,  their  department  lines  not 
being  established  when'  Fort  Donelson  surrendered. 
Nashville  was  exposed.  Grant  ordered  troops  to  oc- 
cupy that  city  and  proceeded  there  himself.  He  thus 
unknowingly  entered  territory  claimed  by  Buell  upon 
whose  complaint  to  Halleck  and  Halleck’s  to  General  Me 
Clellan,  then  commanding  all  the  armies  of  the  United 
States,  the  arrest  of  General  Grant  was  authorized  and  lie 
was  relieved  of  his  command,  which  lie  only  regained 


14 


at  Pittsburg  Landing  through  the  illness  of  Gen.  C.  F. 
Smith.  Had  Grant  been  then  in  command  of  both 
armies  or  not  been  bound  by  undefined  lines,  he  would 
have  marched  his  victorious  army  to  Nashville,  thrown 
detached  commands  to  Chattanooga,  Knoxville,  At- 
lanta. and  Memphis,  for  there  was  no  organized  force 
in  his  front,  there  established  rallying  points  for  the 
Union  men  of  those  States  and  recruited  at  least  one- 
fourth  of  the  men  who  afterwards  were  driven  by  force 
of  public  sentiment  or  conscription  into  the  rebel  army. 

To  keep  Grant  after  Donelson  fell  from  occupying 
Nashville,  was  as  absurd  as  to  have  said  to  St.  Peter 
who  holds  the  keys  of  the  gates  of  Heaven  “Thou  shalt 
not  enter  therein. ” But  such  was  McClellan’s  deci- 
sion and  Grant,  like  the  true  soldier  he  was,  quietly 
acquiesced. 

Silent  and  taciturn  as  was  our  great  commander 
when  the  conversation  was  light  or  of  no  interest,  he 
was  the  most  terse  yet  fluent  conversationalist  I ever 
knew,  when  interested.  Walking  with  General  Grant 
from  my  own  home  in  Galena  to  his  residence  on  the 
•east  side  of  the  river,  soon,  after  his  return  from  that 
famous  tour  around  the  world,  in  the  short  space  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  he  related  to  me  all  the 
salient  points  of  interest  in  that  triumphal  journey 
through  other  lands.  Seated  one  day  with  our  old  com- 
mander when  President,  in  the  Cabinet  room  at  the 
White  House,  where  he  detained  me  several  hours  to 
inquire  about  Galena  and  old  friends,  after  telling  of 
the  many  who  had  removed  and  the  friends  who  had 
died,  the  President  said : “Why,  General  Smith,  if 
these  changes  continue  Galena,  I fear,  will  soon  lose 


15 


its  identity  and  become  like  the  barrel  belonging  to 
a family  in  Vermont  that  Senator  Luke  Poland  likes 
to  tell  about.  Apples  were  ripe  and  the  season  for 
hard  cider  was  on,  when  a barrel  was  brought  out  which 
it  was  claimed  had  been  in  the  Whitcomb  family  from 
the  landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Lathers,  to  see  if  it  was  still 
sound  enough  to  be  filled  with  cider.  The  older  mem- 
bers of  the  family  cherished  the  barrel  while  the 
younger  cared  nothing  for  it  and  a new  stave  being 
necessary  a council  was  called  to  ascertain  how  much 
of  the  original  remained.  One  old  uncle  told  of  a new 
stave  here  and  there,  a grandmother  of  new  hoops, 
while  a venerable  grandfather  told  of  new  heads,  and 
so  it  went  on  until  summing  up  the  evidence  it  was 
decided  that  all  which  remained  of  the  Mayflower  bar- 
rel was  the  bung  hole,  and  the  President  smiled  as 
he  told  me  the  story.  I was  amused  and  quietly  re- 
marked : “Mr.  President,  should  I ever  wish  to  leave 
Galena  and  desire  a federal  appointment  elsewhere,  I 
trust  you  will  not  think  Galena  has  reached  the  condi- 
tion of  Senator  Poland’s  barrel  and  I be  all  that  re- 
mains of  it. 

The  President  had  a hearty  laugh  over  the  story 
and  my  suggestion.  That  my  request  would  have  been 
granted  I have  evidence  in  the  fact  that  on  the  Presi- 
dent being  informed  by  Mr.  L.  S.  Felt  of  Galena  of 
my  illness,  and  suggesting  that  a territorial  appoint- 
ment to  a warmer  climate  might  benefit  me,  my  name 
was  sent  to  the  United  States  Senate  and  I was  con- 
firmed the  same  day,  March  .20,  1874,  as  Register  of 
a new  land  office  at  La  Mesilla,  New  Mexico.  The  first 
information  I had  of  this  appointment  was  an  order 


16 


from  Willis  Drummond,  Commissioner,  to  file  a bond 
of  $10,000  and  proceed  to  that  far  distant  post  and 
assume  the  duties  of  the  office. 

As  I had  not  sought  the  office,  I thanked  the  Presi- 
dent for  his  remembrance  of  me  and  declined,  saying: 
“Though  in  ill  health,  should  I accept,  it  was  possible 
I might  gain  strength  on  the  ‘mutton  and  garlic’  of 
the  Rio  Grande  Valley,  but  it  was  doubtful  if  I was 
young  enough  to  live  until  civilization  reached  me 
and  the  territory  became  a state.”  The  latter  objection 
seems  to  hold  good  to  this  day.  Having  declined  this 
appointment  the  President  soon  after  offered  me  a 
special  mission  to  Mexico,  but  not  wishing  to  leave 
Illinois  this  was  also  declined. 

It  was  at  this  same  sitting  in  the  Cabinet  roopi  that 
I soon  discovered  the  President  was  holding  me  to- 
freeze  out  the  many  importuning  him  for  office  and  I 
was  forcibly  reminded  of  his  memory  of  persons  and 
appointments.  A member  of  Congress  from  Virginia, 
coming  in  and  charging  the  President  with  appoint- 
ment of  “carpet-baggers”  to  the  federal  offices  in  his 
district,  demanded  their  removal  and  other  appoint- 
ments. To  this  the  President  replied,  naming  the 
Federal  Judges,  Collector  of  Port,  Collector  of  Inter- 
nal Revenue,  Xaval  Officer,  IT.  S.  Marshal  and  others, 
saying:  “If  you  will  tell  me  which  one  of  these  officers 
is  not  a native  Virginian,  or  has  not  resided  in  the 
State  long  enough  to  be  accepted  as  one,  I will  find  a 
place  for  those  you  recommend.”  The  M.  C.  was 
silent  and  the  interview  ended. 


17 


Going  to  Washington  in  the  interest  of  Mr.  Hunting- 
ton,  the  Postmaster  of  Galena,  I accompanied  Mr.  Bur- 
chard,  the  member  from  that  district  and  the  Illinois 
delegation,  to  the  White  House  to  urge  his  reappoint- 
ment, they  fearing  if  a change  was  made  in  this  case 
there  would  be  others  in  their  own  districts.  After  all 
had  recommended  and  urged,  the  President  quietly  re- 
plied : “Gentlemen,  the  people  suppose  that  I make  all 
these  appointments  and  hold  me  responsible  for  the  con- 
duct of  these  officers,  while,  in  fact,  you  gentlemen 
make  them.  I think  it  hard  if  I cannot  have  the  ap- 
pointment of  the  Postmaster  of  my  own  city.  It  is  my 
intention  to  appoint  Mr.  Houghton,”  and  he  did. 

General  Grant  was  upright  in  all  his  dealings  and  a 
lover  of  justice  to  all  men.  Having  the  courage  of  his 
convictions  he  dared  to  “change  front”  and  reverse  his 
rulings  and  opinions  on  subsequent  evidence  being  pre- 
sented. A most  notable  instance  of  this  kind  was  in 
the  General  Fitz  John  Porter  case  where  he  believed 
from  the  evidence  given  before  the  military  commis- 
sion. General  Porter  was  guilty  of  disobedience  of 
Orders  at  Groveton.  Ini  this  case  General  Grant  had, 
when  President,  refused  Porter  a rehearing  and  after 
his  term  expired  recommended  the  same  to  his  suc- 
cessor, and  to  no  one  more  than  General  Grant  was 
Fitz  John  Porter  indebted  for  liis  restoration  to  the 
army.  Meeting  General  Grant  on  Broadway,  near 
Wall  St.,  Hew  York  City,  shortly  after  the  General’s 
recommendation,  my  wife  and  myself  were  invited  to 
his  office  near  by.  We  accepted  and  I there  had  a long 
talk  with  the  General  on  the  Fitz  John  Porter  case,  he 


18 


ably  presenting  his  views,  to  which  I replied:  “Gen- 
eral, I only  recall  my  feelings  at  the  time  of  the  battle 
of  Groveton  and  the  finding  of  the  Court  Martial.  I then 
thought  him  guilty.  I think  so  still,  though  I have  read 
‘The  Army  under  Pope,’  by  John  C.  Pope.”  Taking 
up  a book  from  his  desk  and  handing  it  to  me  General 
Grant  said : “I,  too,  have  been  reading  the  same  book 

and  here  is  a copy.  Mr.  Rope  began  his  investigation 
of  this  subject,  believing  General  Porter  guilty  of  dis- 
obedience of  Generaj  Pope’s  and  McDowell’s  orders  and 
ended  satisfied  that  Porter  was  right  or  justified  in  his 
disobedience  and  that  he  should  be  restored  to  the 
army.”  To  this  I said:  “General  Grant,  I would  not 
assume  to  pht  my  judgment  against  yours,  but  I will 
say  this:  General  Fitz  John  Porter  was  informed  that 
his  line  of  march  led  him  in  on  the  enemy’s  right  flank 
and  he  was  ordered  to  attack  on  that  flank,  and  if  pos- 
sible the  enemy’s  rear.  Porter  learned  from  his  ad- 
vanced-post that  Longstreet’s  command  was  passing 
Thoroughfare  Gap  closing  upon  Stonewall  Jackson  and 
still  he  did  not  attack.  I wTant  to  ask  you  if  that  be 
true,  if  it  was  not  doubly  imperative  upon  General  Por- 
ter to  attack  the  enemy  ?”  To  this  General  Grant  re- 
plied : “General  Smith,  I do  not  understand  the  situa,- 
tion  as  you  do.”  Then  I said:  “General,  I would  have 
been  very  sorry  to  have  commanded  a division  under 
the  same  circumstances  with  orders  from  you  to  fight 
and  not  have  obeyed  the  order.”  To  which  Grant  smiled 
and  I then  said : “General,  I see  we  cannot  agree ; I 
bow  to  your  superior  judgment  and  will  say  this,  on 
which  I think  we  can  agree.  General  Porter  and  some 
other  officers  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  were  not  loyal 


19 


to  their  commander,  General  John  Pope.”  To  this 
General  Grant  assented  with  a firm  “Yes.  We  will 
agree  that  he  was  not  loyal  to  his  commander.”  And 
there  the  subject  ended.  Meeting  General  Pope  subse- 
quent to  this  and  telling  him  of  my  conversation  with 
General  Grant,  which  pleased  him  very  much,  he  asked 
me  if  I would  not  write  him  a letter  giving  the  subject 
as  I related,  which  I did  and  he  thanked  me  for  it. 

For  quiet,  terse  and  unanswerable  responses  to  ques- 
tions and  subjects  presented  to  him  General  Grant  was 
unexcelled.  There  was  nothing  more  to  be  said  after 
the  General  spoke.  Witness  the  following:  During  the 
President’s  advocacy  of  the  Santo  Domingo  Annexation 
in  1871  when  the  feeling  for  and  against  the  measure 
was  intense  in;  the  United  States  Senate,  a member  of 
that  body  discussing  the  question  with  the  Presi- 
dent expressed  his  surprise  that  one  whom  it  was 
thought  should  be  in  favor  of  the  treaty  was 
violently  and  unfairly  opposing  it,  and  * regret- 
ting as  he  did  this  action  he  was  more  than  sur- 
prised and  pained  to  learn  that  the  member  spoken  of 
was  an  infidel  and  did  not  believe  in  the  Bible.  “Are 
you  not  surprised  to  learn  this,  Mr.  President  ?”  asked 
liis  visitor.  “Eo,”  replied  the  President.  “Why,  Mr. 
President  ?”  asked  the  Senator.  “Because  lie  didn’t 
write  it,”  quietly  answered  Grant. 

When  being  asked  if  he  did  not  think  he  had  made 
ai  mistake  in  forcing  his  campaign  to  Richmond, 
through  the  wilderness  and  that  he  should  have  taken 
McClellan’s  plan  and  gone  up  the  James  Fiver  to  Rich- 
mond, our  old  Commander  said,  “Perhaps  I should.  I 
have  often  thought  of  the  subject  and  that  I ought  to 


20 


have  taken  the  James  River,  but  after  all  conclude  that 
I was  right,  as  I got  Richmond  and  McClellan  didn’t.” 
And  there  the  subject  ended.  Such  was  the  quiet,  in- 
offensive and  yet  conclusive  answer  to  all  questions  put 
to  the  General,  many  more  of  which  might  here  be  re- 
lated, but  time  will  not  permit  and  I fear  your  patience 
has  already  been  overtaxed.  A few  more  minutes  and 
I am  done. 

When  Grant  became  President  in  1869  and  there  was 
a vacancy  in  the  head  of  the  army,  we  all  looked  for  the 
promotion  of  Sherman  from  Lieutenant  General  to  Gen- 
eral, but  who  was  to  be  made  Lieutenant  General  was 
the  question  with  the  old  soldiers. 

Grant  and  Sherman  having  come  from  the  army  of 
the  Tennessee,  the  position  was  conceded  to  the  Potomac 
or  Cumberland  armies.  The  soldiers  of  the  Potomac 
named  General  George  G.  Meade,  while  those  of  the 
Cumberland  presented  General  George  H.  Thomas, 
‘kthe  Rock  of  Chickamauga.”  J udge  of  the  surprise  of 
all  when  the  President  named  General  Philip  H.  Sheri- 
dan. Upon  being  asked  why  he  did  so  the  President 
quietly  replied : 

“I  would  like  to  have  appointed  General  Meade  be- 
cause he  earned  it.  I would  like  to  have  appointed  Gen- 
eral Thomas  because  he  deserved  it,  but  there  was  but 
one  Lieutenant  General  to  commission  and  there  was 
•but  one  Sheridan.” 

General  Grant  had  a high  opinion  of  the  military 
skill  of  Sheridan  and  an  affection  for  him  which  was 
warmly  returned,  and  yet  each  had  such  a sense  of  jus- 
tice as  would  not  permit  a wrong  to  be  done  another 
though  it  were  their  own  gain.  Grant  had  recommended 


21 


'■Generals  Meade  and  Sheridan  for  promotion  to  rank  of 
Major  General  of  the  regular  army.  Meade  for  his 
■splendid  handling  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  on  the 
march  and  in  battle  and  Sheridan  for  his  glorious  vic- 
tories in  the  Shenandoah.  Under  the  great  pressure  of 
those  strenuous  days  the  President  was  unable  for  some 
time  to  take  up  Grant’s  recommendations,  and  when  he 
did  Sheridan  was  appointed  a Major  General,  U.  S.  A., 
November  14,  1864,  to  rank  as  such  from  November 
8,  1864,  and  General  Grant  was  so  informed.  This 
was  a surprise  to  the  Lieutenant  General,  as  he  had  in- 
tended to  have  Meade  rank  Sheridan.  “Little  Phil”,  was 
sent  for,  the  wishes  of  Grant  made  known,  and  the  situ- 
ation explained.  Meade  ranked  Sheridan  as  a briga- 
dier more  than  one  year,  was  the  able  commander  of  the 
largest  army  in  the  field  and  General  Grant  could  not 
permit  an  act  of  such  injustice  to  be  done  him  though 
it  were  for  one  so  deserving  as  Sheridan. 

Our  gallant  “Little  Phil,”  with  an  equal  desire  to 
do  right  and  have  justice  done  a comrade,  magnani- 
mously said,  “General  Grant,  say  nothing  of  this  to 
• General  Meade.  I will  waive  rank  and  serve  under  him 
until  you  can  have  this  matter  righted.” 

General  Grant  advised  President  Lincoln  of  the  situa- 
tion and  again  mad  e his  recommendation  which  resulted 
in  the  appointment  November  26,  1864,  of  George  G. 
Meade  as  a Major  General  U,  S.  A.,  to  rank  from  Au- 
gust IS,  1864.  Can  you  conceive  a more  unselfish  or 
honorable  act  than  that  of  Grant  and  Sheridan  or  do 
you  wonder  that  when  a new  promotion,  was  open  in 
which  seniority  was  not  a factor  that  Sheridan  was  se- 
lected ? 


22 


The  United  States  Senate  afterwards  confirmed  these 
ranks  and  the  dates  named,  General  Sheridan’s  January 
13,  1865,  and  General  Meade’s  February  1,  1865. 

That  our  old  Commander  whose  honored  name  this 
Grand  Army  Post  bears  loved  his  country  is  attested 
by  his  services  in  behalf  of  the  Union  and  universal 
freedom.  That  he  loved  its  starry  flag  under  which  he 
had  fought  upon  a hundred  and  more  battlefields  in  the 
great  rebellion  and  Mexico  is  illustrated  in  the  follow- 
ing incident.  In  the  political  campaign  of  1868  I was 
in  command  of  the  organization  of  “ Tanners”  in  Ga- 
lenia  and  having  purchased  a forty-foot  garrison  flag 
had  it  swung  from  my  office  across  Main  Street  with  a 
piece  of  muslin  a yard  or  more  wide  sewed  to1  the  lower 
end,  upon  which  was  painted  “Grant  and  Colfax.”  I 
was  pleased  with  it.  General  Grant  was  at  home,  and 
walking  up  the  street  with  him  one  bright  day  I called 
his  attention  to  the  flag,  eulogizing  its  beautiful  stripes 
and  bright  stars  when,  halting  and  pointing  to  our  starry 
banner,  General  Grant  said : “General  Smith,  I wish 
you  would  have  that  flag  taken  down,  or  those  names 
taken  off  it ; there  is  no  name  so  great  that  it  should  be 
placed  upon  the  flag  of  our  country.” 

The  strip  of  muslin  bearing  the  honored  names  of 
Grant  and  Colfax  was  taken  off,  the  flag  again  thrown 
to  the  breeze  unmarked  and  in  all  its  pristine  beauty. 


